By Paul Gable
The Donald Trump bandwagon keeps gaining momentum while those who consider themselves Republican Party traditionalists keep wringing their hands.
Maybe the best part is Ted Cruz, the original outsider in this race until Trump stole his thunder, is now trying to get party officials to coalesce behind his campaign in a ‘Stop Trump’ movement.
But stopping Trump is going to be very hard. Statistics out today predict Trump has to win 54% of the remaining delegates to secure the nomination, Cruz needs 69% and John Kasich can win 100% of the remaining delegates and still not have enough for a first ballot nomination.
Trump could get the needed 54% although Republican Party regulars, or those who think they are, will do everything they can to stop him short. Cruz can’t get the needed 69%. Forget Kasich unless the convention becomes open and probably even then.
Look at the big states left to vote – New York, California, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Indiana, not very fertile Cruz country.
And if Trump arrives at the Republican Convention in Cleveland with 1100 or more pledged delegates for the first ballot (I would call that scenario a virtual lock at this point) and the party denies him the nomination, look out.
For the Republican Party to deny Trump the nomination after millions of voters turned out for him in the primaries, more than for any other candidate by far, would demonstrate just how little regard the party has for the American public.
When Trump announced in June, I was of the opinion he would be fun to watch for a little while, then he would fade away.
Boy, was I wrong!
What I failed to understand is just how much the American public is fed up with the Republican and Democratic parties and government in general.
There is a populist revolution going on and many of those voting for Trump are what were once considered Reagan Democrats. The more these people hear Trump is bad for the party, the more they want to vote for him.
Democracy is a messy form of government at times and, this year, I believe we are going to see just how messy it can get.
Speak Up…